Neon is the Colour of Vengeance (Flappers and False Gods)

THE CAUSE

Even though it had been to a brothel, the trip to Spectator Sport had been good for Evan. Just being out of Hugo’s apartment for a few hours had helped restore some of his equilibrium.

When they returned from the peepshow, Evan was feeling far more grounded. Hugo had cooked them a late dinner and as they sat eating it, waiting for the Medical Examiner to arrive, Evan felt his mind wandering.

He couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. Weeks ago now, it and the times it had almost happened again in the interim were driving him crazy. His thoughts about Hugo were blurred and ephemeral, changing from moment to moment. He was a brutal killer, and yet a protector. He could be terrifying and yet kind. He was amoral and yet he seemed to have a code. He was honest and earnest, brave, capable of vulnerability and though he tried very hard not to, Evan liked him. The more time they spent together, the more his thoughts lingered on his desires instead of the reasons he should quell them. He wanted Hugo and he was going to have him.

Sitting across from him at the kitchen island, Evan knew Hugo was many troubling things that should have given him pause, but the quality that had him hooked in that moment, and had since that first brief kiss, was how sexy he was. Normally, Evan would never follow desire blindly, but his life wasn’t normal anymore and it never would be again.

“I’m not drunk,” Evan said bluntly.

Hugo looked up from his plate of pasta in surprise. “I’m…glad?”

“Last time I tried to kiss you, you stopped me because I was drunk, and you didn’t want to take advantage. I’m not drunk.”

Evan stood slowly. He let his fingers trail lazily along the kitchen counter as he moved beside Hugo. He wanted him and he was going to have him. He pulled Hugo’s plate from his hand and laid it on the side, then stepped in so close that Hugo was staring up at him from his seat.

“What are you doing?”

“We have time to kill.”

There was hesitation and curiosity on Hugo’s face, blended with anticipation. Evan slipped between his legs and rested his arms loosely on Hugo’s shoulders. Hugo watched in silence as if worried any sudden movements would ruin the moment.

“You think I’m beautiful.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” Hugo said quietly. He stared at Evan as if enraptured, it gave him the courage to push on.

“You want me.”

“Yes.” Hugo peered up through his eyelashes, a fire seeming to ignite behind his eyes. Evan leant down to kiss him, but he pulled back ever so gently. “What are you doing?” he whispered.

“I want you too.” And Evan kissed him.

There was a moment of uncertainty before Hugo surged forward. He rose up out of his seat, lifting Evan onto the counter as he did so.

“You can stop this anytime,” Hugo breathed against Evan’s lips. Evan responded by pushing his tongue into Hugo’s mouth. They went from zero to one hundred and Evan wouldn’t have had it any other way. This had been building in both of them since the moment they met. Hugo’s hands found his hair as Evan’s fingers reached for his belt. He quickly undid the buckle and his fly, slipping his hand underneath the waistband of Hugo’s underwear. Hugo let out a quiet moan, pushing himself into Evan’s palm.

A loud knock on the door had them both freezing in place.

“Ignore it,” Evan said, his teeth grazing Hugo’s bottom lip.

“It’s Flynn.”

And just like that, all desire left Evan. Hugo pulled away, re-zipped his trousers with difficulty, and walked quickly to the door, Evan close behind him.

The medical examiner stumbled in as Hugo opened the door. He was drenched in sweat.

“Come in, take a seat,” Hugo said. His voice oozed danger. It was the voice he had used when they first met. Smooth and full of sinister promise. It was a stark contrast to the breathy one he had used mere moments ago and a reminder of who Evan was dealing with. The killer he planned to bed.

Shakily, the man called Flynn moved over to the couch and perched on the edge. Hugo posted up against the mantle with his arms folded, a looming presence. Evan, not knowing what to do, hovered off to the side.

“Here,” Flynn said, holding out the paper expectantly.

“Give me the details,” Hugo said bluntly, waving away the file.

“Of course,” Flynn stuttered. “The victim was a White male. Late fifties.”

“Gun shot, right?”

“No. No GSWs. The victim was strung up by his ankle from a pipe and his throat was slit.”

“What?” Evan said, stepping closer.

“Maybe you should wait in the kitchen,” Hugo said quietly.

“No, I want to know what happened.” Evan’s heart was beating hard against his ribs as his chest seemed to constrict.

“Shall I go on?”

Hugo looked at Evan who nodded firmly, before telling the medical examiner to continue.

“There was evidence of torture. There were contusions on his face and torso. Shallow puncture wounds and localised burns. His wrists were slit before his throat was slashed. It was a single incised wound.”

Evan’s vision blurred for a moment as his head swam. He felt sick, but he shook it off. He wanted answers. Needed them.

“I have mortuary images…”

“No,” Hugo said loudly. Evan could feel his eyes on him.

“Yes,” Evan said breathily. “We have to make sure it’s him.”

Hugo came to stand beside Evan. “Do you have a picture of Julian? Show me and I’ll check. Trust me when I tell you, you will never be able to forget seeing him that way.”

Evan tapped his Index and quickly found a photo of his uncle from his childhood. He projected it in the air between them. Hugo scanned it quickly like a professional, memorizing the details. It was a picture Evan had showed him many times before, but he understood that Hugo wanted to be certain.

Evan closed his eyes as Hugo returned to Flynn. They spoke in hushed tones for a moment before Hugo said, loud enough for Evan to hear, “It’s him.”

Eyes burning, Evan sat shakily on the couch and covered his face with his hands. A heavy slamming had his head snapping up. Hugo had the medical examiner by the throat, pressed against the front door.

“You breathe a word of this to Samuel and there won’t be enough left of you to fill a body bag, do you understand me?”

“You hurt me, and Samuel will end you.”

“Yeah, and will that make you any less dead?”

Flynn’s smirk turned into a grimace. “You don’t know who I am. Who I work for.”

“And I don’t care. You’re a creep and if the rumours are true, a predator. Just give me a reason because I would love to end you.”

“Stop it!” Evan crossed the living area at a sprint and grabbed Hugo by the shoulder pulling him away from Flynn. Hugo pushed him off easily and returned his attention to the snivelling medical examiner.

“You mention any of this to anyone and I will come for you. Are we clear?”

“Y-Yes.”

Hugo pulled his hand from Flynn’s throat and threw the front door open. He shoved Flynn out, then slammed the door before rounding on Evan. He looked furious.

“You are playing in my world now. Make sure you know the rules before you get involved.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He is a snitch. A scared little creep who will talk to anyone for the right price.”

“So?”

“So, he needs to be scared enough of me to keep his mouth shut. No one can know about this, remember? You are supposed to be dead. I can’t be caught looking into your family.”

Evan didn’t know what to say. The revelation that the police had lied to him about the manner of his uncle’s death had him reeling.

“If you don’t want to be a monster, don’t act like one.”

Hugo’s pale eyes grew dark. “Fear is the only language the underworld speaks. Violence is the only currency. I do what I do to protect the things I care about. Including myself. Being a monster is a by-product of survival.”

“Is that how you justify killing?”

“I don’t justify killing. It’s a necessary evil. Not everyone has the stomach for it, but I do. It’s part of the life, my life. But this has nothing to do with why you’re starting on me.”

“Excuse me?”

“You knew I was going to threaten Flynn at the peepshow, and you had no problem with that. You just found out something awful, and you don’t know how to deal with it, so you’re putting it on me and that’s fine, but you can keep your judgements.”

Evan wanted to argue some more, to vent some of his feelings, but he also wanted answers. “Who would do that to him?”

“I think I know, but it’s going to be very hard to get more info.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s not another mobster, it’s another mob boss. We have to tread very lightly here.”

Evan’s mind was racing. The horrible truth of his uncle’s death, mingled with Hugo’s interaction with Flynn and their kiss that was almost so much more, made Evan sure he was unlikely to sleep that night.

“We can talk more in the morning,” Hugo said as if reading his mind. His voice was cold. “It’s late and I have to get up early.”

“What for?” Evan asked quietly.

“Need to start making moves to get you out of the city.”

Confused and upset, Evan watched Hugo as he left towards his bedroom before he too made his way to the spare room and eventually bed. The distance between them felt larger than ever before, except now, Evan lamented it. Their connection was born of circumstance, but want was want, regardless of what birthed it.